Farmington OKs $97.5M Budget, Cuts School Board Funding

The Farmington council approved a budget of $97.5 million Saturday, a 3.41 percent increase

FARMINGTON — The town council approved a 2015-16 budget of $97.5 million, about $232,500 less than what the town manager recommended.

The budget would increase spending by 3.41 percent, and property taxes would rise by 2.71 percent.

Council members Jeffery Apuzzo and Jon Landry voted against the budget, which was approved on a 5-2 vote in a meeting Saturday.

The council reduced the board of education's requested budget by $320,732, Town Manager Kathy Eagen said in an email.

The board will now receive $60.3 million, or a 3.7 percent increase from last year. The board initially requested $60.7 million, or a 4.25 percent increase.

"As the board members said at the workshops, they considered everything that was in the board request essential and a priority," said Mike Ryan, the school business administrator. "I think the board put forth a very reasonable budget."

Apuzzo said he voted against the budget because he felt the school board's 3.7 percent increase was "excessive." He cited decreasing school enrollment figures and said the board should use existing resources to fund any new and expanded programs instead of seeking a budget increase.

He said the board also continues to provide full pension benefits and "very rich health insurance benefits" to its employees, which he said have not been offered in the private sector for many years.

"Once the board of education demonstrates some fiscal responsibility, which includes taking steps to bring their compensation and benefits packages into the 21st century, then and only then should there be a discussion about tax increases to fund new programs," Apuzzo said. "Right now, there is a lot of money in their $60 million dollar budget which isn't being used efficiently and which isn't going to the kids."

But board Chairwoman Mary Grace Reed said the board's expenditures per covered member are among the lowest in the state. She said the board has worked closely with council in recent years on the benefit plan, which is "extremely efficient and is designed to mitigate future risk and high claims."

Now, she said the board will work with Superintendent Kathy Greider to reduce their proposed budget.

"The superintendent and board will look for every possible option to keep the cuts away from class size, general and special education programs and new initiatives," Reed said in an email.

The council also added $88,190 to the town portion of the budget, making it $27.1 million, Eagen said. She said they added a full-time building maintainer position of $91,190 with all benefits, added $5,000 to the fire department technical equipment account and cut $8,000 from the building repair accounts.

The proposed capital improvements budget was kept the same as Eagen's proposal of $3.23 million, or an increase of 9.82 percent, she said. However, Eagen said the council cut the building and repair account by $80,000 and added $35,000 for a building maintenance truck and added $45,000 to the board of education's capital account.

"It was a bipartisan but not unanimous vote for the budget," council member Amy Suffredini said. "At the end of the day, I think it is a fair, balanced budget that properly funds the town and the schools. It's fiscally responsible to our citizens."

The annual town meeting on the budget is planned for April 20 and a referendum for April 30, Eagen said.